Coronavirus
All topics-
Migrants and the EU
Is Europe ready for a post-COVID migration wave?
Unauthorised immigration to Europe went down at the peak of the pandemic. As EU countries re-open, migrant flows are back up. What does it mean for the EU – and for migrants? By Sonya Angelica Diehn
-
Religions for Peace conference in Lindau
Fighting hate speech, climate change and COVID-19 together
Religions are often a source of conflict. But the worldwide Religions for Peace movement seeks to change that by galvanising interreligious dialogue. Delegates from 90 countries are meeting this week in Germany. The involvement and commitment of young women at this year's conference is striking. By Christoph Strack
-
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and Egypt
A new dawn for diplomacy in the Middle East?
International relations are shifting across the Middle East as regional powers adapt to America's retrenchment and China's growing influence. Although the region could become the site of another great-power competition, it also has a chance to pursue diplomatic openings and new security arrangements. By Fawaz A. Gerges
-
Berlin's Human Rights Film Festival
The Moria Film School – "...and here we are"
German actress Katja Riemann has made a short yet impressive documentary about a special project in Moria. In her directorial debut, she shows how young refugees learn the basics of filmmaking. The film, part of the Human Rights Film Festival Berlin programme, can be streamed until 3 October. Rene Wildangel reports for Qantara.de
-
COVID-19 in the Middle East
Playing down pandemic death tolls
A new global database shows a significant gap in reported COVID-related deaths, suggesting the actual worldwide death toll is short by at least 1 million. That's due in part to false figures from autocratic regimes. Jennifer Holleis has the details
-
Migration policy
Europe's migrants are part of the solution
Migrants are often maligned as being responsible for Europe's problems. Yet their integration is in Europe's interest. Michael Thaidigsmann believes that a long-term vision is overdue
-
Houses of healing
The success of early Arab medicine against epidemics
The coronavirus pandemic has turned lives upside down all over the world. In the Middle Ages, however, people lived with epidemics all the time. The best and most famous physicians worked in the Islamic world. By Dunja Ramadan
-
The Pikala Bikes initiative in Morocco
More mobility, more confidence, more freedom
In Morocco, the bicycle is considered a poor man's means of transport. What's more, cycling tends to be a male-only affair. The Pikala bike initiative in Marrakesh seeks to change all this. By Marian Brehmer
-
Pimping the parliamentary facade
Narendra Modi's Potemkin democracy
India's prime minister has an "edifice complex" that has given rise to grand new government buildings, including a planned new parliament. Sadly, the spirit of deliberation and debate that animated the old parliament building risks being left there. By Shashi Tharoor
-
Tunisia grapples with COVID-19
The coronavirus crisis continues to worsen in Tunisia, with the number of infections rising. Cases of the particularly infectious delta variant have also been registered, and some regions have been sealed off. By Diana Hodali
-
Turkey five years after the attempted coup
"Witch hunt" focuses on Turkish artists and intellectuals
Artists and intellectuals in Turkey are coming under massive pressure. Since the attempted coup against Erdogan by parts of the military in 2016, the government has intensified its crackdown on critical voices. Now the coronavirus pandemic is proving the final nail in the coffin. Ceyda Nurtsch reports
-
COVID-19 and the ongoing impact
Coronavirus in the time of Delta
While Europe and North America experience something like a return to normality with relatively high vaccination provision and take-up rates, the rest of the world is struggling to contain the Delta variant. Qantara takes a look at how countries across the Islamic world are coping